Just as God was in Paul’s letter to his friends in Corinth, He must have been in their response.  The letter created not only a godly sorrow in them but also a change of mind and attitude that led to the restoration of their relationship with Paul as their spiritual leader.  And as Paul reflects on their response, he draws the distinction between godly sorrow that leads to repentance and worldly grief that leads to death.  (Ogilvie, 1985)